These days when so many doctors seem to foist fashionable and unnecessary drugs on us, we may see a resurgence in this noble fruit that is said to "keep the doctor away".

There are literally hundreds of apple varieties. Lorna is shown here under a venerable apple tree at the Red Apple Farm in Phillipston Massachusetts on which have been grafted 100 different varieties!

At the annual CiderDay event in northwestern Massachusetts you can usually sample scores of varieties at a table beside the meeting house in Colrain.

Route 495 in Massachusetts between I-290 and Rte 3 is home to many easily accessible orchards that carry herloom varieties. There are other orchards worth knowing about all over New England.

Different apples are good for different things. My favorites for pies are Yellow Transparent in August, and then a trio of Northern Spy, Russet, and Baldwin in November. The pages below show some of our favorites.